


Meet the O'Neills

by sg_wonderland



Series: Meet the O'Neills [1]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-24
Updated: 2016-07-24
Packaged: 2018-07-26 11:55:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7573141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sg_wonderland/pseuds/sg_wonderland
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daniel meets Jack's parents</p>
            </blockquote>





	Meet the O'Neills

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve read fics where Jack’s mom greets Daniel with open arms and others where she tells him not to darken her door ever. I kinda like the shades of gray approach myself.

Daniel was scared, terrified, petrified, what came after petrified, he wondered. Whatever it was, he was there. Face down a system lord? No problem. Fly a ship while being bombarded thousands of miles away from Earth? Can do. Get hit by a ribbon device and come up swinging? Absolutely.

 

But this? What did one say to the mother of the man with whom you were having an illicit, clandestine affair? And what was he supposed to call her? Margaret? Mrs. O’Neill? Or, God forbid, Mom? None of the etiquette books adequately addressed what one did in these situations.

 

He had tried sitting, reading, listening to music while Jack went to the airport to pick up his parents. To introduce Daniel, his lover, to his what? What word would be appropriate? Mother-in-law didn’t quite cut it. Somewhere, Daniel thought absently, there must be a word that fit. After all he knew dozens of languages and millions of words, dammit! 

 

There must be a word. Perhaps the Phoenicians. They had a lot of very nice words. If he just had his dictionary, but it was at his apartment. Maybe he should nip over there and just look up the word?

 

Daniel decided it was best to run away. He bolted for the front door; no, he couldn’t do that. Jack would be coming that way. How about the back? He could cut through the neighbor’s yard. They wouldn’t care, they would probably help him. Hey, they owed him! He had helped them get their cat out of the tree once. 

 

Just as he opened the back door, he heard the front door open. Defeated, he banged his head against the glass of the door; damn, he was caught.

 

With a heavy heart, Daniel swallowed his fear and faced a fate worse than death, prepared to meet two people who had no reason what-so-damn-ever to like him, much less learn to love him, regardless of what Jack said.

 

*

 

“Daniel, that was a wonderful meal.” Margaret O’Neill was trying very, very hard to coax a smile out of her son’s lover. She had said the word often enough to herself while looking in the mirror, trying to make it easier to roll off her tongue. It didn’t. The word conjured up the vision of a woman; a woman that, despite herself, Margaret thought should look an awful lot like Jack’s ex-wife, Sara. 

 

But that vision of a perky blonde had been superimposed by one of an anything but perky blue-eyed, brown-haired man. Yes, man, let’s say it again, shall we, Margaret? Mannnnn.

 

Because she loved her son, all her sons dearly, she was trying to accept this. She had to admit, Daniel was not what she had expected. Oh, she had seen photographs, but they didn’t really count. She wanted to look in those eyes, see the face of this wicked man who had led her poor lonely child astray. 

 

Her first thought was who had led whom astray? Certainly not this…boy wasn’t the right word, surely. But he looked so much younger than Jack said he was. Margaret tried to put prejudice aside and tried to see the man as her son saw him. He was certainly attractive with summer sky eyes and a dimple that she had only seen wink out a time or two. Always in Jack’s direction.

 

“Thank you, Margaret, I’m glad you liked it.” He still couldn’t quite meet her eyes.

 

“I’d love to know how you got him to eat broccoli. I gave up years ago.” She invited herself to load the dishwasher. “Sit down, please. How about I make us some coffee?”

 

Daniel sat reluctantly, a guest in what was essentially his home. Jack and Matthew O’Neill had walked out to look over Jack’s new truck, leaving him stuck with Margaret. He drummed his fingers on the table, bounced his leg, played with the pepper mill. Until Margaret took one of his hands in hers. “Stop.” His hand stilled under hers.

 

“Margaret.”

 

“Daniel, please try to understand where I’m coming from.”

 

“I know this is not what you wanted for Jack. Never would have wanted this.”

 

“No. It isn’t. I always wanted Jack to marry again and have more children.”

 

“And I can’t provide that.”

 

“No, you can’t. Jack said you’d been married. Did you never want children, Daniel?”

 

“It scares me to think about bringing children into this world.” Daniel blurted it out before he could stop himself. And decided to just plunge on since he’d already blown it anyway. “I know what’s out there; I know how dangerous the world is. Part of me is glad Sha’re and I never had children.”

 

Margaret could see what such honesty had cost him; his face was paper white. And if Jack came back in right now, he’d tear a strip off her for upsetting his Daniel. “Jack told me you lost your parents when you were a baby.”

 

“Hardly a baby, I was eight.”

 

Margaret could not stay the hand that briefly touched his cheek. “You were a baby. If your mother were alive, what would she say? Would she understand?” Her brown eyes, so like Jack’s, were steady on his face. “I think it’s a fair question.”

 

He nodded. “It is. It’s only fair.” Taking the time to organize his thoughts, he spoke softly. “I hope she would have wanted me to be happy. Like you, she would have been disappointed at the lack of grand-children. I think she would have liked that very much. I think Jack’s military career would have horrified her. Much of what I’ve done in the past few years would have horrified her. If she could see me today, she’d,..” his eyes dropped, “...I don’t think she’d be very proud of me.”

 

“I cried the first time I saw Jack in his uniform. He didn’t seem like my Jack anymore, you know? He’s an adult and I can’t make his decisions for him anymore.”

 

Daniel nearly smiled. “I don’t know anyone who can make his decisions for him. Certainly not me.”

 

Margaret realized Daniel thought he was speaking the truth. But she had seen the changes in Jack. And it wasn’t just the eating the vegetables, although she was still determined to find out Daniel’s secret weapon, or the picking up after himself or even the fact that he had called her more in the past six months than he had in the previous six years. 

 

It was the softness around the eyes, the easy smile, the way his whole face simply lit up because Daniel walked into the room. Whether he would acknowledge it or not, or even recognize it, she knew it was Daniel’s doing. Trying to make the effort, she touched his shoulder before walking out of the kitchen.

*

 

She pulled Matthew away from the truck and instructed him to go talk to Daniel, while she forced Jack in the opposite direction, toward the sidewalk and a walk around the neighborhood.

 

Jack wasn’t waiting for her to start. “Mom.”

 

“Jack. I don’t hate you and I don’t hate Daniel. I’m trying to figure this out, trying to accept this. You have to admit it’s hard.”

 

“I didn’t go out looking for this, you know.”

 

“But Daniel did?” It suited her to blame Daniel.

 

“He fought it harder than I did, to tell the truth. I had to practically throw myself at him to even get him to notice me.” What he had actually done was grab him and kiss the fight out of him after a particularly flaming disagreement. It had either been kissing or killing; the jury was still out on whether he’d made the right decision. “He worries about my career.”

 

“And you don’t?”

 

“I did at first. But when I realized if it was the career or Daniel, the Air Force doesn’t stand a chance. Hell, I’d retire tomorrow if I thought it would make him happy.” Jack sighed as his mother tightened her hand on his arm. “Mom, please try to like him. For me?”

 

Margaret stopped and turned Jack to face her. “Jack, he’s not what I want for you. Please just be careful. Don’t get hurt.”

 

“I won’t, I promise.”

 

“As much as it pains me to admit it, I can see he makes you happy. Just give me some time, okay?”

 

“That’s all I ask, is that you give Daniel some time, too, okay?”

*

 

If Daniel thought Margaret was hard to talk to, the taciturn Matthew was even harder. Tall, lean like Jack, he had cool gray eyes that gave away nothing. He walked into the kitchen, opened the paper and began to read. Daniel realized this would be an excellent time to escape. Umm, retreat, yeah, retreat. “I’m just gonna go home now.”

 

The paper never moved. “Big mistake. Let her win now, never hear the end of it.”

 

“It was nice meeting you,” Daniel stammered as he headed for the door.

 

“Suit yourself,” Matthew advised an empty house.

*

 

“Dad, where’s Daniel?”

 

“Not here, isn’t he? Went home. Told him not to.”

 

Jack was well used to his uncommunicative father. “So. What did you think?”

 

“Could do worse. Smart boy. Handles himself well. Knows when to shut up.”

 

Jack smiled. Coming from his father, this was tantamount to a ringing endorsement. “Glad you like him.”

 

“Tell him to stand up to Margaret.”

 

“I can tell him, Dad, but I don’t know if he’ll listen.” His mother entered on the end of the conversation.

 

“I fail to see why you think Daniel needs to stand up to me. It’s not like I bullied him or anything.”

 

“Or anything.” Matthew agreed.

 

“Matthew, if you have something to say, spit it out.”

 

“Liked him, that’s all. You run him off, no telling what we’ll end up with.”

 

Margaret sighed heavily. “That’s true.”

 

“Just saying.”

*

 

They lay in bed that night, three of them unsatisfied and one trying to sleep. And none in the bed to which they were accustomed. Margaret frowned at her sleeping husband in Jack’s bedroom. Part of her wished she’d never come. That way, she could pretend this wasn’t happening, that her son hadn’t shoved his male lover in their faces. 

 

Shaking her head, she realized that she wasn’t being fair. Jack hadn’t shoved Daniel anywhere, in fact, they’d gone out of their way to try to accommodate her feelings. And she hadn’t wanted to like Daniel and had. But liking him was a far cry from accepting him.

 

She was shaken down to the bone because her worst fears had been realized. She had hoped, prayed, that this was just a phase Jack was going through. That he had just needed someone, something, and this manipulative Daniel had taken advantage of that need, that vulnerability. 

But one look at them together and her heart sank. This wasn’t casual and it wasn’t just sex, although her mind shied away from that picture. It was immediately apparent to her that Jack loved Daniel. She had hoped he didn’t.

 

As for Daniel, she just didn’t know; she didn’t know him well enough to make a true judgment. He certainly seemed to rely on Jack, those unfathomable eyes seeking Jack’s again and again. 

Then he had left before she could have another go at him. She had to admire him for his strategic withdrawal; he was on weak ground and knew it, was smart enough not to try to fight her on her turf. She could admire him for it even as she cursed him for being so damn smart.

 

“Stop it. Can’t sleep for all those damn gears grinding.” Matthew snarled.

 

*

 

Jack was still awake in the guest room. He had only slept here once when a sick Daniel had tried to keep Jack from being exposed to his germs. Daniel might have started the night out alone, but hadn’t greeted the morning that way.

*

 

Daniel lay wide awake in his lonely bed at the apartment he rarely saw anymore. He hadn’t slept alone in this bed in months. When Jack was gone, Daniel stayed at the house; this was never discussed, it was simply understood. Jack’s home was Daniel’s home. 

 

And he’d never get to sleep like this. He’d tried everything short of a knock-out pill; if he’d had one, he might have tried that, too. But he’d drunk a glass of wine, forced himself away from the coffee-maker. Then a warm bath, soft music, a boring book. No, not happening. 

The only thing that could get him to sleep was several miles away, snoring his head off in his own guest room while his parents lay in his bed and dreamed up ways to knock off their son’s unwanted lover.

He’d never felt so alone.

 

*

 

The ringing of the phone shattered the silence of his apartment. He knew who it was without even looking at the ID. “Hi, Jack.” 

 

“How’d you know it was me?”

 

“Who else would be calling me at...” he eyed the clock, “two-fifteen?”

 

“No one else better be calling you at any damn time,” Jack growled.

 

Daniel pulled the covers back up to his bare shoulders as he re-arranged the pillows at his back. “So, your parents? Hate my damn guts?”

 

“Nah, my dad likes you. Said I could do worse.”

 

“That’s certainly true. Your mother?”

 

“I told you she’d take some time and she will. But she promised to give you a chance. Get to know you. Hard to do with you not being here and all.” Jack felt obligated to point out in case Daniel hadn’t noticed.

 

“Jack, we agreed I wouldn’t stay there. This is what we thought best.”

 

“Yeah, but that was before I tried to sleep without you.” Jack whined with neither remorse nor regret.

 

“We sleep apart all the time,” Daniel observed.

 

“On missions. We’re not at work now. We should be together. Right now.”

 

“So, you want me to come over there and climb in the window? Or will you leave your parents there and sneak over here? I don’t think so.” Daniel was getting warmer, softer, sliding further down on the pillows.

 

“I miss you; I just want you here with me.”

 

*

 

Margaret heard voices. Or to be perfectly precise, a voice. Sliding out of bed, she soft-footed down the hall. Yeah, that was Jack and she’d bet he was on the phone with Daniel. Unashamedly, she stood outside the partially open door and listened.

 

“I miss you; I just want you here with me. I love you, Daniel.” A pause in which she was sure Daniel was repeating the sentiment. “I don’t ever want us to be home and sleep apart. Ever.” Another pause. “You know we’ve already had this discussion, I don’t care if they do tap my phone. I don’t care, Daniel, I don’t. I’ll quit tomorrow and never look back if that’s what it takes. The Air Force can go screw themselves and the NID right along with them for all I care. Well, when I retire, I’m gonna tell a few folks a head-full. I’m sick of it all, Daniel.” 

 

Jack snorted in response to Daniel’s comment. “I’m serious. And right after I hand in my resignation, I’m gonna kiss you right there in the briefing room in front of God and everybody.” Jack laughed sharply. “Oh, yeah, even Hammond. Could you just picture the look on his face? Order my ass into his office. Either that or have my head on a platter for touching his boy.” His voice softened, gentled. “So, think you can sleep now? You’re welcome. Come for breakfast in the morning? Yeah, I love you, too. Get some sleep.”

 

Margaret crept back up the hallway. There was a connection there she hadn’t anticipated. It was like Matthew knowing what was in her head, like the fine spring morning when she knew the knock on her door was a solemn faced soldier telling her Jack was MIA. 

 

Jack had known Daniel was hurting, couldn’t sleep, knew Daniel needed him. This was a bond she didn’t know if she could sever. Or if she should even try.

*

 

So when Daniel came for breakfast she tried to hold her tongue and just observe.

 

“Well, Jack, I see someone finally taught you how to make a decent cup of coffee.”

 

“Daniel is a coffee connoisseur. Or make that a coffee snob.”

 

“I don’t think so.” Daniel sipped the excellent coffee.

 

“Good as yours,” Matthew observed as Margaret shot him an exasperated look.

 

“You don’t know what I’ve suffered, Mom, to reach this point. He threw a pot at me one time.”

 

“I did not.” Daniel lied.

 

“Margaret did.”

 

“Mom?”

 

“Once in fifty years, did I throw a pot at him? And he never forgot it, never.”

 

“Took twelve stitches to put my head right.”

 

“Matthew Ryan O’Neill, you know that’s a lie!”

 

Matthew leaned toward Daniel. “Had to buy her a damned greenhouse of flowers.”

 

“Maybe I should try that,” Jack commented as he refilled cups.

 

“Trying to kill him? Boy has allergies, don’t he?” Amazed, they all turned to look at Matthew. “Just saying.”

 

*

 

Daniel had found an unexpected ally in Matthew who, unlike Margaret, had actually spoken to him at breakfast. Both knew the fine art of quiet, of solitude. When Jack finished cleaning up the kitchen to his mother’s exacting standards, he found his father and his lover sitting quietly in the living room, heads stuck in books. 

 

His dad was reading one of Daniel’s history books and Daniel, well he was reading what Jack was positive was a dreadfully boring book about middle-European ethnicity. When Jack peeked, he realized Daniel was using a Darth Vader bookmark.

 

Daniel followed Jack’s eyes and he simply shrugged. “Someone gave it to me.”

 

Jack couldn’t figure out why anyone would think Daniel would appreciate a Darth Vader bookmark; as far as Jack was concerned there wasn’t anything to admire there, except that the bastard had come right in the end. Of course it had taken him three movies to do so. 

“Well, Mom wants to go to the mall, how about it?” Both Daniel and Matthew flinched. “Come on, it’s just the mall, a bunch of stores in one place. They have bookstores.” They both looked at Jack then at each other quizzically. The ringing of the phone saved their reply. 

 

“Hey, Doc, what’s up? Sure that’s no problem, want me to come get her? No, it’s fine, glad to do it.” He hung up. “Fraiser got called in to work and wants us to keep Cassie. I told her it was fine.”

 

“You go to the mall, I’ll go get Cassie.” Jack started to interrupt. “Listen, if Cassie wants to, we’ll meet you there, how’s that?”

 

“Dad?”

 

“Shoo. Know how to look after a kid, don’t I?”

*

 

“So, Mr. O’Neill, wanna play Monopoly with me and Daniel?” Cassie had decided that staying with Daniel and Jack’s dad was infinitely more promising than going to the mall. Not that she didn’t like the mall; she just liked it better with her friends. Jack might buy her anything she wanted, but he would surely embarrass her by commenting loudly on any outfit she selected. Daniel never commented, he just let his eyebrows speak volumes. 

 

“Matthew.” 

 

“Okay, Matthew, just don’t let Daniel get all the railroads.”

 

“Try not.”

 

Cassie wasn’t put off by his brusqueness. She leaned over to whisper loudly. “And whatever you do, don’t let him trick you into playing Scrabble. He cheats.”

 

“Cassandra, I do not cheat.”

 

“You do, Daniel, you know all the words.” She hopped over to plop down on his knee, ignoring his ‘oomph’. In fact, she grinned and bounced even harder.

 

“Trying to break his leg? I’ll take the boot, young lady.”

 

*

 

“Mom, there wasn’t a damn thing wrong with that outfit. It was nice.”

 

“It was too young for me and well you know it. Trying to flatter me.” They shoved the door open, their arms full, only to be chastised by Matthew.

 

“Pipe down, kid’s trying to sleep.”

 

Jack lowered his voice. “Sorry, Dad.” He quietly entered the living room, expecting to find a sleeping Cassie. What he found was Cassie piled on top of Daniel, both fast asleep. “Dad?”

 

“Leave ‘em alone. Take better care of the boy. Looks like hell.” Matthew headed into the kitchen.

 

Feeling the need to defend himself, Jack followed his father. “I take good care of Daniel.”

 

“Not according to Miss Cassie. Says you get him hurt a lot.” Matthew looked him dead in the eye. “Stop hurting him.”

 

Jack said the only thing he could say. “Yes, sir.”

 

*

 

Having Cassie there for dinner livened things up. It was clear Matthew thought her charming, nearly as charming as he found Daniel. Jack couldn’t fathom it, although after thinking about it, he didn’t know why he was surprised. His father and Daniel were quite a bit alike. 

Quietly soft-spoken, they expressed themselves with a few well-chosen words, but would never choose to hurt someone’s feelings. His mother, on the other hand, was like him; their words could and did wound. And they quite often meant it when they hurt people’s feelings.

 

“So is the doc still at work?”

 

“She called and she has to work later because Dr. Warner hurt his arm playing tennis and I’m gonna stay with Daniel tonight. We’re gonna make popcorn and stay up all night watching movies. He has all the Indiana Jones movies.”

 

“Too young to stay up all night,” Matthew aimed a look at Daniel. “Need your sleep. Both of you.” Knowing Daniel would take offense, he held his gaze.

 

“Not too young to kick someone’s butt at Monopoly.” Daniel adopted an innocent look.

 

“I told you not to let him get all the railroads, didn’t I?”

 

“Did indeed. Watch the boy better next time, won’t we, Miss Cassie?”

 

Cassie agreed. “We will. I still think he cheated.”

*

 

Jack’s plan for his mother to fall under Daniel’s spell seemed destined to fail. He took off with Cassie shortly after dinner, using the excuse that he had to go by her house and get her things. She leaped off her perch on the couch and landed on Daniel’s back. “Watch it, will you? You weigh a ton,” Daniel complained even as he hitched her up. “Aren’t you too old for piggyback rides?”

 

“Nope,” she locked her arms tightly around his neck. “Matthew said we were both just kids and he didn’t know why we put up with an old fool like Jack. Why do we?”

 

Daniel looked Jack straight in the eye. “I suppose it’s because we love him. Say good-night, Cassie.”

 

“Good-night, Cassie,” she laughed. “Come on, Daniel.”

 

Jack opened the door for them. “I’ll call you later.”

 

Daniel turned with Cassie still attached to him. “How about I call you? You know, in case the monkey’s asleep?”

 

Cassie slid down Daniel’s back. “I’m not a monkey. Race you to the car. Bye, Jack.”

 

Margaret came to stand at his side and watch Daniel chase Cassie around the yard, before opening the car door with an exaggerated flourish and handing her in.

 

“He’d make a wonderful father, Jack.”

 

“I wish he could see that part of himself, but all he sees are the dangers, the pitfalls. His childhood was tumultuous at best; he and Cassie are good for each other.”

 

“I see,” she watched the car pull away.

 

“Doc adopted her when her parents died three years ago. She talks to Daniel when she won’t talk to anyone else.”

*

 

“Hey, Daniel, monkey go to sleep?” Jack snatched the phone up on the first ring.

 

“Finally. I don’t think I ever had that much energy.” He sounded bushed.

 

“Yeah, I’ll remind you of that the next time you want to extend a mission so you can skip among the rocks.”

 

“I don’t skip anywhere and you never agree to extend the mission.”

 

“Privilege of rank.”

 

“Whatever. So, the parents alright?”

 

“Oh, yeah, my dad thinks you’re the greatest. Mom’s coming around. She was very impressed with how you handled Cassie.”

 

“Really? I was thinking it was the other way around, she handled me.”

 

“So, back to work tomorrow?” Jack had taken some time to spend with his parents.

 

“Yep, I’m taking Cassie in with me and turning the little monster over to her mother.”

 

“Oddly enough, that’s the exact same thing Lou said the last time you shipped with the Marines.”

 

“That’s so funny, Jack. I can hardly contain myself.”

 

“I’m sure. So dinner tomorrow night?”

 

Daniel sighed. “If I must.”

 

“Cheer up, Daniel, my mother left her pistol at home.”

*

 

The dinner never materialized. Shortly after Daniel signed in, SG-3 radioed that they were in trouble. Hammond rounded up as many bodies as he could latch onto, Daniel being one of those volunteers and they shipped out under Major Dawson’s command with SG-5.

 

When the phone rang, Jack knew it was Daniel trying to skip out of dinner. “Daniel, I swear....oh, General, sorry, thought it was Daniel.”

 

“Jack.”

Jack’s heart froze, the general wouldn’t be calling him Jack if it weren’t bad. “Sir, what is it?” Afterwards, Jack slowly hung the phone up.

 

“Jack, do you think Daniel will…honey, what’s wrong?”

 

“It’s Daniel.” Margaret shoved a chair under Jack and forced him to sit.

 

“Tell me, Jack, tell me everything.”

 

“One of the team was in trouble, they sent back-up, and Daniel volunteered. They’ve been gone too long, missed their scheduled check-in. They aren’t answering their radios.” Margaret couldn’t hold back her shiver. 

 

“Daniel’s not a soldier, what was he thinking?”

 

“Lou, we’ve known Lou a long time. Daniel saved his life, my life, more than once.” Jack turned glazed eyes to his mother. “I can’t lose him, Mom.” She was stunned to feel him trembling against her.

*

 

When they returned several hours later, they were beaten and bruised but still walking. Hammond sent them off to the infirmary, but Dawson asked for a quick word first. “What is it, Major?”

 

“I want to go on record with this, sir, before Dr. Jackson gets back up here. He tried to negotiate, he tried to get SG-3 released. After two hours, negotiations had failed and he believed the natives were stalling for time, intended to trade the team, and us, I might add, to whichever system lord came along first. It was my decision to execute the rescue plan, not his. There were some casualties among the locals, and he’s already blaming himself for it. I won’t have it, sir. He did everything he could do, above and beyond. You tell O’Neill, anytime he gets tired of Jackson, I get first dibs on him. I’d take him in a heartbeat, he’s a damn fine soldier; even after he went down, he was still giving it his all.”

 

“Thank you, Major. Let’s get you down to the infirmary, get you checked out.”

 

*

“Broken wrist, sir, a minor concussion, ten stitches. Got off pretty light, from what I understand.” Dr. Frasier closed Daniel’s file.

 

“I need to call Colonel O'Neill and let him know. May I?” He indicated her desk phone.

 

“Of course, sir. I won't be keeping him, I don’t believe he’ll fare better here than he would at home.”

 

*

 

They all jumped when the phone shrilled in the silence. Jack leaped on it. “Hello?” The only thing that had prevented him from racing to the base was the presence of his parents.

 

“He’s okay, Jack.” He gave his parents a thumbs-up. “Broken wrist, a few stitches and a minor concussion. Dr. Fraiser’s turning him loose. I’ll have an airman take him home.”

 

“To my house, sir, I’ll keep an eye on him.”

 

“Expect him within the hour. And, Jack? Major Dawson wanted me to tell you that he’d take Dr. Jackson in a New York minute.”

 

Jack found he could smile after all. “You tell him no damn way. Dr. Jackson belongs to me.” He hung the phone up. “He’s on his way home.”

 

“Come on, let’s get dinner started.” Margaret bustled into the kitchen, muttering under her breath.

 

“Jack.” He looked up to see his dad standing in front of him. “Glad he’s okay. Like the boy.” Matthew wandered into the kitchen to see what his wife was up to.

*

 

Jack was watching out the window when Daniel’s car pulled up followed by a staff car. He opened the door, forced himself not to run to where Daniel was, with the aid of an airman, extracting himself slowly. It was obvious he was hurting. Jack settled for a slow stroll down the drive. “Airman, thank you.”

 

“Dr. Jackson, you get better, you hear?”

 

“Yes, thanks for the ride.” He had enough presence of mind to smile at the airmen who had helped him. “And for bringing my car.”

 

“Dr. Jackson?” 

 

“Colonel O’Neill?”

 

“Care to come in? There’s a dinner with your name on it.”

 

“Can I have a shower first?” He managed to clear the door. Barely.

 

“What did Fraiser say?”

 

“Not to get my stitches wet. Or the cast.” Daniel noticed Jack’s parents standing there. 

 

“Hey, sorry about this.” He kept the sigh to himself when he saw Margaret’s stormy expression.

 

Margaret frowned at him. There were some cuts and bruises that hadn’t been mentioned. “Jack, if you’ve got some adhesive tape and plastic wrap, I believe we can cover Daniel’s stitches and his cast so he can take a shower. Come on, let me help you upstairs.”

 

“Boy’s legs aren’t broken. Walked in here, didn’t he? Give him some space. Let Jack help him. Go on, now.”

 

*

 

Half an hour later, Daniel was clean and practically unconscious. “I can make it downstairs. I’m not an invalid.”

 

“Mom is planning on fixing you up a tray and bringing it up to you.”

 

“Oh, I so don’t think so. I can sit at the table.” 

 

“Prove it. If you can make it to the bottom of the stairs without falling flat on your face, you can stay down there. If not, back up here you come.”

 

Daniel rose slowly from the bed where they had been sitting. And walked equally slowly out the door and toward the stairs. And then down the stairs. “You are the dictionary definition of stubborn, you know that?”

 

“You say the sweetest things.” Daniel was breathing hard by the time he got to the dining room.

 

“Daniel, you shouldn’t be walking around.” Margaret jumped up.

 

“I’m sorry, you shouldn’t have held dinner for me.”

 

“Sit, boy, scared us all to death. You okay?”

 

“Yeah, just got in a little...fight getting home, nothing serious.”

 

“Was anyone else hurt?” Margaret was practically wringing her hands.

 

“No.” Jack could see the lie all over Daniel’s face.

 

“Well, you sit right there, we’re eating buffet style. Jack will fix you a plate. Do you have medication? Painkillers?”

 

“Yeah, for after I eat.”

 

“At which time Dr. Jackson will entertain you with his distinguished repertoire of snores.”

 

“Jack, make yourself useful, get Daniel some food. No, you’re not getting up. What would you like to drink?”

 

“I’m dying for a cup of coffee.”

 

“Yeah, keep right on dying. You know the drill, no caffeine and no alcohol while you’re on meds. How about a nice glass of milk?” Jack grinned maliciously.

 

*

They ate in awkward silence. Daniel’s eyes were mostly on his plate, trying not to fall face first into it. Everyone else’s eyes were on Daniel. The chalk white face, the bandage covering the stitches on his hand, the cast on his left arm, the bruises that were just starting to blossom. 

 

Finally Matthew simply took Daniel’s plate and handed it to Margaret. “Come on, up with you now.” His tone brooked no argument. Daniel found himself letting Jack’s dad lead him up the stairs. Jack helped his mother in the kitchen until his curiosity got the better of him, then he crept up the stairs, just stood watching.

 

Matthew was sitting beside Daniel on the bed, holding a whispered conversation. Finally, the older man reached over and patted the knee closest to him before rising to stand before Jack. “Damn stubborn boy. Put him to bed. Get some sleep, Daniel.”

 

Daniel raised dazed eyes. “I think that’s the first time he’s called me by my name since I’ve been here.”

 

Launching himself off the wall he had been leaning against, Jack took the seat his father had vacated. “My dad’s thinking about swapping me for you. Ready to lie down?”

 

“Beyond ready.” Between the two of them, they got him ready for bed and Jack handed him his pills, making sure he took them before he turned the light off. “Stay awhile?”

 

Jack leaned over to kiss him lightly. “Sure, got nothing better to do.”

 

They sat like that for a few minutes. “Jack?”

 

“Not now, Daniel, get some sleep. Talk about it tomorrow.”

 

“People died, Jack.”

 

“I know. But you’re not up to this right now. You’re sick and sore and doped up. Tomorrow will be soon enough.”

 

Another few minutes. Then, “Jack?”

 

“Not asleep yet?”

 

Daniel kept his eyes closed, just enjoying the feel of Jack’s hand stroking his hair. “I’m sleeping in your bed.”

 

“All part of my nefarious scheme.”

 

Daniel snorted. “Where will you sleep?”

 

“Oh, I’ll bunk in with Ma and Pa O’Neill.”

 

“Don’t make me laugh.”

 

“Couldn’t have worked out better if I’d planned it myself. I’ll tell my mother you’re emotionally fragile and prone to nightmares.”

 

“I haven’t had a nightmare in twenty years.”

 

“She doesn’t have to know that. I’ll tell her I have to bunk in here with you, make sure you don’t wake up crying for your teddy bear.”

 

“Haven’t had one of those in twenty years, either.” Despite himself, he could feel the pills dragging him down. 

 

“Shh, what she doesn’t know.” Pressing a soft kiss on his forehead, Jack leaned in to whisper. “And for the record, Dawson cannot have you.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Go to sleep, Daniel.”

 

*

Daniel was lying on his right side, facing the door when Margaret peeked in. His bandaged right hand was holding the casted left arm; she frowned, wondering if he was in pain. His face didn’t look like he was at all comfortable, probably had passed a rough night. 

 

She knew that Jack had slept here with him. She didn’t condone it, but it was, after all, Jack’s house. And truthfully, by the look of Daniel, nothing even remotely interesting had happened. Easing the door closed, she headed down.

 

“Morning, Mom.”

 

“Morning, dear.” His eyes were openly inquisitive. “I just peeked in on Daniel, he doesn’t look well.”

 

“I’ll take him some toast and juice, see if I can get him to take something.”

*

If the number of phones calls was anything to go by, Daniel might have been the most popular man in town. Some of the names Margaret recognized, such as Sam, Teal’c, and, of course, Cassie, who begged to come over. 

Jack had vetoed that idea. “Yeah, you come over here and jump all over him. I’ve seen how you are, you little monkey. Oh, you say that now, but you’d soon forget. How about later on, we’ll see how he goes? I promise you he’s just sore and banged around a bit, but it’s not serious. Yeah, I’ll have him call you, okay?” Other names such as Dawson and Hammond and Ferretti meant nothing to her, but Jack took an awful lot of messages for Daniel.

 

*

 

Cassie’s mother, Dr. Fraiser stopped by on her way to work and peeked in on Daniel. Margaret had a cup of coffee waiting for her when she came down. She wanted to see Daniel through another pair of eyes and this was just perfect. Jack had reluctantly accompanied Matthew on an early morning bakery run. “Dr. Fraiser, it’s good of you to stop. I didn’t think doctors made house calls anymore.”

 

“Thank you, Mrs. O’Neill. We usually don’t but it was on my way and I was concerned about Daniel.” They carried their cups to the kitchen table.

 

“I thought his injuries weren’t serious?”

 

“No, but Daniel’s a bit different than most of my patients.”

 

Ah, the opening she was looking for. Pumping for information, she queried, “Really?”

 

Knowing she couldn’t discuss Daniel's health, she changed the subject. “I can’t believe you got Jack away from him, even for a little while.”

 

“I can’t either, Jack hasn’t spent enough time with his father this visit. I’m sure Daniel didn’t mean to intrude.” Janet frowned over Margaret’s choice of words, her cool tone. “It’s just that we’re only here for a few more days. Jack and his father were supposed to go fishing, but I don’t suppose I can persuade Jack that Daniel can take care of himself.”

 

“Daniel is perfectly capable of taking care of himself.” Janet fought the urge to snap.

 

Ah, she thought, struck a nerve there. Margaret decided to do a bit more fishing of her own, mindful of the fact that these people didn’t know the true relationship between her son and Daniel. “Jack said his wife died quite recently. Of course, I don’t know him at all but he doesn’t seem to be at all grief-stricken. Was it a bad marriage?”

 

It was either leave now or take a very large bite out of Margaret O’Neill. Janet stood stiffly. “I really must be going, thank you for the coffee, Mrs. O’Neill.”

 

“You’re quite welcome, Dr. Fraiser, and I have to tell you that you have a delightful daughter. It can’t be easy raising her alone.” Margaret followed her to the door, bitterly disappointed that she hadn’t gotten more out of her.

 

“No, it isn’t. But I’ve had help. Jack and Daniel have both been wonderful with her.”

 

“They both should have their own, instead of raising other people’s children.” Janet bit her lip again at the thinly-veiled implication.

 

*

The softly murmuring voices woke Daniel. Blinking at the clock, he saw he was long overdue for a pain pill. In deference to his injuries, he took his time getting up and heading for the bathroom but curiosity had him turning instead for the stairs. Picking out Janet’s voice with Margaret’s, Daniel stilled when he heard his name mentioned.

 

“I’m sure Daniel didn’t mean to intrude. It’s just that we’re only here for a few more days. Jack and his father were supposed to go fishing, but I don’t suppose I can persuade Jack that Daniel can take care of himself.” He heard Janet’s reply, then his heart froze as Margaret made an off-hand remark about his marriage to Sha’re.

 

Daniel crept back up the stairs to sit on the bed, pain pill completely forgotten. How dare she, he thought angrily, she had no right, no right at all to bring up Sha’re, to speak so lightly of his grief. If it were anyone else but Jack’s mother, he would have torn her apart but he couldn’t do so without hurting Jack.

 

Jack had laughed about his mother learning to love him, but it no longer seemed so funny to Daniel. 

 

Hearing footsteps on the stairs and ill-equipped for a confrontation, Daniel rolled over, and feigned sleep. He heard someone stop in the doorway for a few moments, then head back downstairs.

 

Dressing as quickly as he could with the cast, gathering up his things, Daniel eased downstairs and quietly left the home where he was no longer wanted. It wasn’t like he hadn’t been here before.

 

 

*

 

“Dammit all to hell!” Jack swore as he pulled in to the drive. Daniel’s car was gone. “I am so going to kill him.” Leaving the pastries to his father, Jack stormed in the house. “Daniel?” He wasn’t surprised to see the bedroom empty. “Mom!” Not finding his mother either, he opened the back door. His mother was puttering around in his garden. “Mom, where’s Daniel?”

 

“Upstairs.”

 

“Mom, his car is gone. And so is he. What did you say to him?”

 

“Jack, I resent that! I didn’t say a word to him. He was asleep, Dr. Fraiser stopped to check on him. He was upstairs asleep.”

 

“Well, something happened,” Jack was dialing Daniel’s number on his cell. “Daniel wouldn’t just leave like that, not without letting me know....Daniel, where the hell are you?” He groused when all he got was voice mail. “Come on, answer, dammit.”

 

His father had followed him through the house. “Margaret?”

 

“Matthew, I didn’t say anything to him, I swear he was upstairs asleep.”

 

Margaret bit her lip at the thought that Daniel might have been awake, might have overheard part of their conversation. “Mom?”

 

“Jack, I didn’t say anything to him. But if Daniel overheard our conversation, he might have…misinterpreted something I said to Dr. Fraiser.”

 

“Such as?”

 

“I merely said that you probably wouldn’t go fishing with your father because of him.”

 

“And?”

 

“And I might have mentioned his…wife.”

 

Jack turned without a word and walked back into the house. Matthew walked over to take his wife in his arms. “Are you ever going to learn to shut up?”

 

“I swear I wasn’t trying to hurt him, I just wanted to get Dr. Fraiser’s opinion about Daniel.”

 

“And?”

 

“She wouldn’t say anything. Although I could tell she wanted to...”

 

“Slap you?” They both heard Jack’s truck noisily firing up and the tires squeal against the pavement.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Know the feeling.”

 

*

An hour later Jack was home in an even worse mood. Daniel wasn’t at his apartment, he wasn’t at the mountain and he wasn’t answering his phone. He slammed his way into his own house, cell phone up to his ear. “Mom?”

 

“Jack? Did you find him?”

 

“No. I take it he hasn’t come back.” She followed as he bolted up the stairs.

 

“Doc? Yeah, he took his pain medication with him.”

 

“Well, I hope that means he intends to take it. I’ll let you know the minute I hear anything, Colonel.” He hung up with an oath.

 

“Jack.”

 

“Not now, Mom. I don’t want to hear it. You got your wish, Daniel’s gone. I just hope you’re happy.” He pushed past her and back down the stairs.

 

*

 

Although it seemed like hours, it was only minutes later that he got the call. “Jack?” It was Janet. “Calm down, I just spoke to Daniel.”

 

“How? Where is he?”

 

“I had a hunch and I can’t tell you where he is, he asked me not to. He’s safe, he’s with a friend.”

 

“I want to talk to him.”

 

“Well, right now, he’s not crazy about talking to anybody by the name of O’Neill. Give him some space. He’ll call you when he’s ready to talk.”

 

*

 

Jack did go fishing with his dad, if for no other reason than he was having trouble looking at his mother. Although she denied doing it deliberately, Jack wondered is she was secretly pleased Daniel had overheard the conversation. After all she had gotten rid of him and she had her son to herself.

 

So Jack was beyond relieved when his cell rang and the caller ID flashed Daniel’s name. “Daniel! Where the hell are you?”

 

“Jack, I’m sorry if I worried you, but I couldn’t stay.”

 

“You overheard my mother and Fraiser?”

 

“Yeah,” came the soft reply.

 

“She’s sorry, Daniel, she didn’t mean for you to hear that.” Jack fervently hoped he wasn’t lying to Daniel. “Daniel, where are you?”

 

“Not important.”

 

“Like hell is isn’t! You’re hurt. I want you to come home.”

 

“Whose home? Your home?”

 

“Daniel, don’t be crazy. And don’t try to tell me I’m better off without you.”

 

“I would never say that.”

 

“So you’re coming back home?”

 

“After your parents go. I’m not quite that self sacrificing.” Jack smiled at the irony in his voice. “She doesn’t accept me and we knew this might happen. So when they’re there, I’ll be somewhere else. It’s simpler that way.”

 

“Daniel. Please don’t do this.” Jack felt a tap on his arm. “Uh, Daniel, my dad wants to talk to you.” He handed the phone over.

 

“How are you, boy?”

 

“I’m okay, Matthew. I’m sorry.”

 

“Not your fault. She’s a handful and that’s the truth. Come see me before I leave?”

 

“I don’t think that would be wise.”

 

“Said me, not we. She wants to be a damn fool, let her.”

 

“I appreciate the gesture.” Even Matthew understood that was a no.

 

“Tell me where you are? I promise not to tell Jack.” He grinned at his son’s expression.

 

“With Teal’c. He’s not real pleased with Jack right now.”

 

Matthew laughed. “I’ll bet. If I, say, wandered around town tomorrow, about noonish, might I see you at your favorite bookstore?”

 

It was Daniel’s turn to laugh. “That’s a possibility. Thanks, Matthew.”

 

“Let you talk back to Jack. Take care of yourself, boy, live long enough to make Margaret miserable.”

 

“Daniel? Are we meeting at your bookstore?”

 

“Um, if you and your dad want to?”

 

“It’s a date. And, Daniel? Don’t forget I love you.”

 

“Love you too.”

 

*

 

Jack still wasn’t too happy with his mother. Because of her, Daniel’s feeling were hurt and he was sleeping alone. Two things guaranteed to make him cranky. He thought of letting her off the hook by lying and telling her Daniel had forgiven her, but he didn’t, a little suffering might be good for her. 

 

He tried to tell himself he wasn’t being malicious and he wasn’t trading his mother’s good will for Daniel’s, although he could cheerfully kill her for suggesting, in Daniel’s hearing, that he wasn’t grieving Sha’re’s loss. That was insensitive in the worst way.

 

The truth was that his mother could take the knocks and bangs a hell of a lot better than Daniel, who had no emotional yardstick with which to measure conflict. So he invariably thought the worst. Every little argument, disagreement got completely blown out of proportion. 

 

Jack remembered a couple of early arguments that had left Daniel visibly shaken until Jack had let him know that one fight did not a divorce make. He hoped Daniel finally understood that no matter what, he wasn’t walking away from him.

 

Jack was wedged firmly between a rock and a hard place. He couldn’t tell his mother how badly she had hurt Daniel without telling her why. And he certainly wasn’t airing Daniel’s past emotional upheavals for his mother; he still wanted Daniel to be speaking to him when this was all over.

 

Then there was the fact that his mother was here five, maybe ten, days per year and Daniel was here, or should have been here, over three hundred days. 

 

So maybe he was more invested in Daniel’s goodwill than that of his mother. Who was trying to kiss and make up by cooking his favorite meal of roast beef, mashed potatoes, the whole works. And homemade pie for dessert. Oh, yeah, Jack thought, major making up time.

 

*

 

Daniel was quietly sitting in the bookstore coffee shop when he felt eyes upon him. “Hi, Jack.”

 

Throwing caution to the winds, Jack walked over and hugged the life out of him, thinking he looked worse than he had yesterday. Pale and interesting was all well and good in novels but it didn’t cut it in the real world. The cast was peeking out of one sleeve and a bandaged hand out of the other. Blood-shot eyes clashed with the now in full-bloom bruises. “So how about some lunch? Italian?” Jack knew there was a good restaurant across the street.

 

Matthew made Daniel’s mind up by grabbing him under the elbow and hauling him to his feet, keeping his hand on him. “Come on, boy.”

 

*

 

Jack was well used to carrying most of the conversational ball around both his father and Daniel, who was eerily quiet. “Daniel. Talk to me, please.”

 

“Not here, Jack.” Daniel shouldn’t have had to remind him that they were in public.

 

“Shit, Daniel, I don’t even care anymore!”

 

“Well, I do. So we’re not doing this here or now.”

 

“Will you at least do me one favor?”

 

“If I can.”

 

“Go back to your place, please? Keep me from worrying about where you are. Where have you been staying, anyway?”

 

“With Teal’c.”

 

“At his apartment? The one that has all those single women running around? Don’t you think that’s a bit dangerous?”

 

“For whom?”

 

“For me. What if you find out you like one of them better than me?” Jack turned on his most pitiful look.

 

“Be your tough luck, I guess.”

 

“Jack, pay for lunch, Daniel and I are gonna take a walk.”

*

 

They’d been sitting on the bench for several minutes before Matthew finally spoke. “She’s not a bad woman, you know that, don’t you?”

 

“I understand where she’s coming from Matthew. As long as Jack’s with me, he’s never gonna have the kind of life you want for him.”

 

“She wants for him.” Matthew corrected. “I want him happy. Been happier this past six months than he has since Charlie died. She’ll see that, she’s just a bit hard-headed. She should never have said what she said about your wife.” 

 

“No, she shouldn’t. How I grieve for my wife is none of her business. And saying that where I could hear her was unconscionable.” 

 

“She wants to try to make you understand how sorry she is, wants to see you before we leave on Thursday.”

 

Daniel fidgeted. “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.”

 

“Good point. Make her sweat a little, think you’re mad at her. Be good for her.”

 

“Matthew, I am mad at her.”

 

“What I said.” They lapsed into a companionable silence.

 

*

Daniel didn’t consider himself a particularly vindictive person, but he did have, contrary to popular opinion, some semblance of self-preservation. So he coolly declined Margaret’s request for his presence at dinner Wednesday night, delivered via Jack; instead he took Cassie to the movies and then out for dinner, welcoming her idle chatter on the way home.

 

“And then Renée said she thought Chad was cute, but I don’t think so, he’s not nearly as cute as you are.”

 

What she said finally sunk in. “What??”

 

“You are cute, Daniel. I’ve seen what’s out there, and trust me, you’ve got it all over those guys.”

 

“Oh, I appreciate that. At least, I think I do.”

 

“I’m gonna be the envy of all the girls at school when I tell them I went out with a really cute guy. And he paid for dinner and opened the car door for me.”

 

“And you’re not gonna mention that I’m old enough to be your father?”

 

“Gee, Daniel, you’d have been pretty young to be my dad. But Jack could be my grandfather.”

 

Daniel choked. “I’d keep that to myself it I were you, Cassie.”

 

“Okay.” She cocked her head at him. “Why doesn’t Jack’s mother like you?”

 

Stunned again, Daniel blinked rapidly. “What…what gave you that idea?”

 

“I heard Mom talking to Jack on the phone. Then when Sam came over the other night? Mom said she wanted to slap Jack’s mother and Sam said she’d better get in line. Why does everyone want to slap Mrs. O’Neill?”

 

Oh, boy, Daniel thought, how are you supposed to answer that one? “Mmm, well, your mom and Sam thought Jack’s mother was being mean to me and it made them mad.”

 

“Does Teal’c want to slap her, too?”

 

“Teal’c mostly wanted to slap Jack.” It was out before Daniel could stop himself.

 

“Why?”

 

“Teal’c thought Jack should have stopped his mother from hurting my feelings.”

 

“Did she? Hurt your feelings?”

 

Daniel sighed. “Yes, she did but I don’t think she meant to.”

 

“Mom says that doesn’t matter, if you hurt someone, you should apologize even if you didn’t mean to hurt them. Did Mrs. O’Neill apologize to you?”

 

He frowned heavily. “Kind of.”

 

“I would never hurt your feelings, Daniel.” She leaned over to lay her head on his arm. “I love you even if she doesn’t.”

 

“Thank you, Cassie, I love you, too.”

*

 

As soon as Daniel left, Cassie dashed for her room. “Cassie, what are you doing?”

 

“I just have to make one really quick call, Mom, then I’m going to bed, I promise.” She closed her bedroom door, grabbing the phone and dialing Jack’s number. When a woman answered, she hesitated. “May I speak to Jack, please?” She put on her most polite voice. 

 

“It’s Cassandra Fraiser.”

 

“Cassie? What’s wrong?” Jack seemed almost breathless.

 

“What’s wrong,” she hissed, “is that your mother hurt Daniel’s feelings and now he’s really sad and I don’t like it when he’s sad and he didn’t even enjoy the movie and he hardly touched his dinner and Mom and Sam are all worried about him and what are you going to do about it?”

 

“Whoa! Could I get the slow version of that?”

 

She plunged on. “And now everyone wants to slap your mother and Teal’c wants to slap you and I know it’s not nice to hit people but it’s also not nice to hurt people just because you can. I have to go to bed because I have school tomorrow. Fix this!” She ordered before she slammed the phone down.

 

Jack stared in amazement at the phone in his hand. “Jack, was that Cassie? What did she want?” He looked at his mother, pictured telling her that the SGC mafia had drawn a bulls-eye on the back of her head.

 

“She was just checking on Daniel.” It was the best compromise he could come to without actually lying. He was trying to process the fact that somehow in this mess, Teal’c was now mad at him.

 

*

It was a somber trio that headed to the airport the next morning. Margaret had to admit that far from winning this battle, she had lost in a rather spectacular fashion. Jack was barely speaking to her, Matthew had a look that conveyed his bitter disappointment in her. 

And instead of getting rid of Daniel, all she had succeeded in doing was having Jack defend him. She would have to concede that he had outsmarted her by doing nothing but walking out the door. If his intent was to show Jack how empty his life would be without him, he had succeeded there. “Jack, will you tell Daniel I’m sorry I didn’t get to see him again before we left?”

 

“Would have been better coming from you, Mom, but I will tell him.”

 

“Hard for me to say anything to him since he avoided me most of the week.” She pointed out tartly.

 

“And whose fault was that? He’s not a masochist, you hurt him and he wasn’t coming back for another round.”

 

“I would say that pretty much covers it.” Jack jerked around in surprise to see Daniel standing behind him. “Hi, Jack. Matthew.” A long pause, his voice cooled. “Margaret.”

 

Matthew stepped around both of them and took Daniel in a gentle bear hug, whispering in his ear, “Glad you came, boy.”

 

“Thanks, it’s nice to see you, too.” He looked at Margaret. “I hope you have a safe trip home.”

 

“Thank you, Daniel.” She eyed him carefully. “You don’t look much better. I hope you’re taking care of yourself.”

 

Daniel shrugged. It wasn’t as much of an olive branch as a twig, but he’d take it. “I’ll try. It was nice to meet you, both of you.”

 

Matthew’s lop-sided smile looked very familiar to Daniel. “And he lies well, too. Looks like you got a good one here, Jack.”

 

Daniel stepped back. “I’ll wait for you in the coffee shop, Jack. Nice flight.” He lifted his hand before he walked away.

 

Matthew turned to his son. “You let your mother run that boy off, I’ll never speak to you again.”

*

 

Daniel had papers spread all over the dining room table, Jack was fixing dinner and the phone was ringing almost constantly. The utter domesticity of the scene thrilled Jack to bits. “Take a break, big guy, I need to set the table.” 

 

When Daniel began stuffing papers in his briefcase and shutting his laptop down, Jack grinned. Between Jack’s interruptions and the phone, he probably hadn’t gotten much accomplished anyway. 

 

Daniel was fairly quiet through dinner, but Jack was used to that. Afterwards, Jack shooed him out of the kitchen, looking pointedly at his cast.

 

“I’m not crippled, Jack, I can load the dishwasher.”

 

“Humor me, will ya? I’ll be out in a few minutes.” Daniel started to walk away, stopping when Jack grabbed him for a quick hug. “I’m glad you’re home where you belong.”

 

“Me, too.”

 

Jack cleared the table, put away the leftovers, loaded the dishwasher, all the time aware that Daniel had forsaken the living room and headed upstairs. He locked up the house and headed up himself. Daniel was sprawled across the bed with the phone in his hand. At Jack’s raised eyebrows, Daniel mouthed, “Cassie” at him. 

 

Shaking his head, he hit the shower, smiling when he saw Daniel’s pain medication on the vanity where it belonged. As luck would have it, Jack was going back to work tomorrow and Daniel would be on several more days of downtime. Just be thankful it wasn’t serious, Jack told himself as he tidied the bathroom and made a beeline for the bedroom.

 

“Yes, Cassie. Of course, Cassie.” Daniel was rolling his eyes. 

 

Jack snatched the phone out of his hands. “Say good-night, Cassie, it’s past Daniel’s bedtime.” He hung up on her protests, leaning across Daniel to hang the phone up, sneaking in a kiss as he did so. “Hi, there.”

 

Daniel smiled up at him. “Hi, yourself.”

 

“So,” Jack stretched out beside him, “you never did tell me how exactly you got hurt.”

 

“We were running back to the gate, Lou slipped, I grabbed him...”

 

“And you both went down?” Jack had the story from Major Dawson, who was still campaigning for Daniel’s transfer.

 

“Lou landed on my arm and it went snap.” Daniel winced at the memory.

 

“Speaking of, have you taken your medication?” He didn’t need the frown to know the answer. “Get under the covers.” With an oath, he trekked back to get both medication and water, standing over Daniel to see that he took them. “If you don’t take it, I’m gonna report you to you-know-who.”

 

Another frown. “It makes me sleepy.”

 

“And?”

 

“I didn’t want to end up snoring through our first night together in a week.”

 

“Got news for you, buddy,” Jack snapped the light off. “You’re gonna be snoring very shortly.”

 

“Because?”

 

“You were only supposed to take one tablet.”

 

“You...you,” he sputtered, “gave me two!”

 

“Sorry about that. Actually, I’m not sorry, I fibbed. Teal’c told the doc that you weren’t sleeping. Only one was a pain pill, the other was a...sleeping pill.”

 

“Jack!”

 

“Say good-night, Daniel.”

 

“I’m not sure I love you anymore.” Daniel turned his back pointedly on Jack.

 

“That’s okay.” Jack held Daniel’s broken arm up as he slid his arm around him and gently laid the arm down, snuggled his cheek into its favorite place on Daniel’s neck. “I love you enough for both of us.”


End file.
